Page 24 - Chicago Market Community - Action Plan

RECOMMENDED INITIATIVES: Focus Area 1 - Resource Use

Focus Area 1
MINIMIZE IN-STORE RESOURCE USE &
MATERIAL WASTE

Optimize and operationalize in-store resource conservation

Most of a grocery store's resource use comes from its upstream supply chain (CDP, 2021). However, Chicago
Market must optimize its own practices before it can address supplier sustainability. A significant reduction
in waste, energy use, and water consumption can be made in-store.

According to a 2023 survey, 76% of grocery company executives see sustainability as a priority (Denman,
2023). Among the respondents, the top sustainability goals include waste reduction (83%), energy utilization
(77%), and packaging efficiency (66%; Denman, 2023). As mainstream grocery companies begin to focus
more on sustainability, value-focused grocers will start to lose their market distinction and could struggle to
compete from purely a price standpoint. It is imperative that Chicago Market and other food cooperatives
stay ahead of the curve, continue to innovate, and further reduce their operational environmental footprint.

The recommendations in this section focus on ways Chicago Market can reduce its in-store resource
consumption and quantity of landfilled waste and how those actions can influence customers to adopt
similar practices at home.

FOOD RECOMMENDATION 1A:
WASTE Eliminate 100% of food waste from landfill

The Challenge & Opportunity

The US wastes more food than any other country, at a rate of 219 pounds
per person annually, which represents roughly one-third of the country's
annual food supply (RTS, 2021). The problem with throwing away so much Food waste statistics
food is not just that it's the single largest contributor to our landfills - it's 40 million
what happens to the food once it's IN the landfill. (RTS, 2021). Unlike tons of food thrown away
natural decomposition or composting, food that degrades in the anaerobic in the US annually
conditions found in municipal landfills produces large amounts of methane
gas, which has 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide 219 lbs of waste per
person in the US.
(20-year Potential; US EPA, 2020). Food waste is responsible for 11% of
global greenhouse gas emissions (WWF, 2019).
of municipal solid
Food waste occurs along the entire supply chain, but food service 22% waste is food.
companies (including grocery stores) and homes are responsible for of food in US
over 80% of those losses (RTS, 2021). Despite the direct loss of profit, 30% grocery stores
US grocery stores throw away roughly 30% of their total food products gets discarded.
(RTS, 2021). Unsurprisingly, the largest contributors to in-store food
waste are fresh produce (33%) and meat, poultry, fish, and dairy (30%; (RTS, 2021; US EPA, 2023)

CHICAGO MARKET SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN 24